MBA Polymers, MG Break Ground in Austria

MBA Polymers, based in Richmond, Calif., and Mueller-Guttenbrunn (MG) GmbH, based in Amstetten, Austria, broke ground on their joint venture plastics recycling facility in Kematen, Austria, in May. The 40,000-ton-per-year plant is expected to open in December of 2005.

MBA owns 51 percent of the joint venture, which is called MBA Polymers – Austria – Kunststoffverarbeitung GmbH, while MG owns 49 percent. The plant will process highly mixed plastics resulting from the legislated take back and recycling of durable goods.

Additionally, MBA has partnered with Guangzhou Iron and Steel Enterprises to build a similar plant in Guangzhou, China, which should be operational in August of 2005.

According to a press release issues by MBA and MG, the Kematen plant is strategically located between the durable goods recycling infrastructure developing in Western Europe and the growing manufacturing and plastics molding base in Eastern Europe.

MBA Polymers carries out R&D at its Richmond plant, where it also operates a plastics recycling pilot facility.

Muller-Guttenbrunn is among the largest metal recycling companies in Austria. It also operates plants in Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Liechtenstein.